Tombs - Path Of Totality 12"

From the swells of arcing sound that kick off "Black Hole Summer" -- the kind of song title that puts together familiar tropes in a just distinct enough way, much like the band's work itself -- Tombs initially seem to demonstrate their approach as working in pre-established ways on Path of Totality. Given guitarist/vocalist Mike Hill's previous work as well as earlier releases under the Tombs name, it's almost tempting to say this is the album that best encapsulates all his approaches in one place. But better instead to see it as a continuing refinement of a collection of impulses that shows the depth of 21th century metal, one that acknowledges bleak, slow-building masterpieces from the past without aiming to re-create them.